India’s dubious distinction in terms of air quality is widely discussed, but the focus of discussion has typically been outdoor pollution. Yet, right here in Bengaluru, indoor pollution poses serious risks for several communities, cutting across class. What are the sources of indoor pollution and how can it be addressed?

Retrofitting old two-stroke autos with an electric engine could be a noiseless, non-polluting solution to air pollution. However, government subsidies are not yet being offered to those looking to go electric.

With over 6000 buses, many of them being very old, the city transport system in Bengaluru could easily be a bulk entity that can be targeted for vehicular emission. The BMTC has also realised this—it is evident in the steps taken to put in place systems to control emissions and improve the quality of vehicles.

The Bengaluru plant has initiated the process of repairs and the shutting down of the furnaces will accelerate the process of revamp, expected to be completed by November end. The firm has said it will then apply afresh to the KSPCB for consent to operate.

The Supreme Court has imposed a penalty of Rs 50 lakh on Graphite India limited (GIL), calling its Whitefield plant a serious offender contributing to air pollution in the area. In the first of an in-depth two-part series, we look at the long struggle that led to the ruling.

A recent study report says that by switching to electric autos, carbon emissions can be reduced by 0.11 million tonne per year, PM10 by 114.5 million tonne per year, and NOx by 37.6 million tonne per year. So when will Namma Bengaluru make that switch and what’s been stopping it?

Several studies have pointed to the increasingly toxic air in the city, some pegging the levels of polluting particulate matter at three times the WHO-prescribed standards. What contributes to this and why is it so difficult to check?